The Refrigerator

There are two basic types of refrigerators: (1) the conventional single-door refrigerator with a small freezer compartment; and (2) the combination refrigerator-freezer, with one or two outer doors, which provides space for the storage of fresh foods and a large amount of frozen foods.
Proper daily care of the refrigerator involves wiping up any spills and spotwashing the outside surface as needed. To prevent the spreading of food odors in the refrigerator, wrap or cover food before storing it. To save fuel, open the refrigerator door only when necessary, and keep it open only as long as necessary. To lengthen the life of the rubber gasket, avoid touching it when opening and closing the door. Grease from the hands often softens the rubber.
The daily care it recieves determines in part how frequently the refrigerator should be defrosted and thoroughly cleaned. Once a week is the general rule. You should defrost it when the frost on the freezing compartment exceeds one-fourth of an inch, unless your refrigerator has an automatic defroster.
The general procedure for defrosting and cleaning is as follows:
1. To melt the frost, turn the control switch to "defrost" or turn off the electric current.
2. Remove frozen foods from the freezer compartment, wrap in newspaper to prevent thawing, and place in the other part of the refrigerator.
3. To speed up the defrosting process, place pans of hot water in the freezing unit. Always melt the frost, rather than trying to pry it loose with a sharp instrument.
4. After defrosting, remove all food from the refrigerator and clean the entire interior, including the freezing compartment, with a mild solution of warm water and baking soda (one teaspoon of soda to one quart of water.)Work rapidly so that the foods will be out of the refrigerator as brief a time as possible.
5. Turn the control switch to its normal setting.
6. Replace the food in the refrigerator, making sure that it is properly covered or wrapped, and checking to see if any of it should be thrown away because it is no longer usable.
7. Wash the ice trays, fill them with fresh water, and replace in the freezer compartment.
8. Clean the outside of the refrigerator with a mild soap or detergent and warm water. (If the outer surface is enamel, it may be waxed occasionally for protection and for easier cleaning.)

excerpted from Food For Modern Living, by Irene E. McDermott, Mabel B. Trilling, & Florence Williams Nicholas (Philadelphia, J.B. Lippincott Company, 1967)